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### Question: What causes AIDS dementia complex?
### Response: In the United States, neurological complications are seen in more than 50 percent of adults with AIDS.
The virus does not appear to directly invade nerve cells but it jeopardizes their health and function. The resulting inflammation may damage the brain and spinal cord and cause symptoms.
Research has shown that the HIV infection can significantly alter the size of certain brain structures involved in learning and information processing.
Milder cognitive complaints are common and are termed HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND).